Homework: Chapter 11 Refrigeration Cycles

1. Consider a 300 kJ/min refrigeration system that operates on a non-ideal vapor-compression

refrigeration cycle with R-134a as the working fluid. The refrigerant enters the compressor as saturated
vapor at 140 kPa and is compressed to 800 kPa. The refrigerant enters the throttle valve as saturated
liquid. The compressor isentropic efficiency is 85% and T0=298 K. Show the cycle on a T-s diagram with
respect to saturation lines, and determine (a) the quality after throttling, (b) the COP, (c) the compressor
power input, and (d) the rate of exergy destruction associated with the compressor.

2. A heat pump using R-134a heats a house by using underground water at 8C as a heat source. The
house is losing heat at a rate of 60,000 kJ/hr. The refrigerant enters the compressor at 280 kPa and 0C,
and it leaves at 1 MPa and 60C. The refrigerant exits the condenser at 30C. Determine (a) the power
input to the heat pump, (b) the rate of heat absorption from the water, and (c) the increase in electric
power input if an electric resistance heater is used instead of a heat pump. Answers: (a) 3.55 kW,
(b) 13.1 kW, (c) 13.1 kW.

3. A reversible absorption refrigerator consists of a reversible heat engine and a reversible refrigerator.
The system removes heat from a cooled space at -15C at a rate of 70 kW. The refrigerator operates in an
environment at 25C. If the heat is supplied to the cycle by condensing saturated steam at 150C,
determine (a) the rate at which the steam condenses (kg/s), and (b) the power input to the reversible
refrigerator. (c) If the COP of an actual absorption chiller at the same temperature limits has a COP of 0.8,
determine the 2nd law efficiency of this chiller.